Sheet Feeding Apparatus with Adaptive Air Blower Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet feeding apparatuses face challenges in reliably feeding diverse types of sheets, such as coated papers and OHP sheets, due to varying adhesion forces and thicknesses, leading to issues like miss-feeding and double feeding, which are not optimally addressed by current air assist methods that rely on manual adjustments and environmental conditions.
Innovation Solution
A sheet feeding apparatus that includes an assist air blower device and a detecting system to automatically determine the optimal air amount for sheet feeding by monitoring sheet behavior, using assist air blown from lateral, front, or rear sides, and adjusting air flow based on detected conditions to ensure accurate sheet separation and feeding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual adjustment of air amount is used for sheet feeding, then the apparatus can handle various sheet types, but miss-feeding and double feeding occur due to inability to optimally adapt to different adhesion forces and thicknesses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where a detection device monitors sheet behavior during feeding, and the control device automatically adjusts the air amount based on detected sheet characteristics such as adhesion force and thickness. This closed-loop control enables the system to adapt to different sheet types while maintaining reliable feeding accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically changes the air amount parameter based on detected sheet properties. The control device adjusts air flow rate, pressure, or volume in response to variations in sheet adhesion force and thickness, allowing optimal feeding conditions for each sheet type without manual intervention.
2Device complexity
If fixed air amount is used for sheet feeding, then the apparatus structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to different sheet types with varying adhesion forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static air amount setting into a dynamic parameter that automatically adjusts based on sheet characteristics. The control device modulates air flow in real-time according to detected sheet properties, enabling adaptability without significantly complicating the overall apparatus structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-adjustment by automatically detecting sheet properties and modifying air amount without requiring manual intervention. The control device autonomously optimizes feeding parameters based on real-time feedback from the detection device.
3Reliability
If increase air amount to separate sheets with large adhesion force, then sheet separation improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the air amount parameter to match the actual sheet properties. Instead of using excessive air flow for all sheet types, the control device adjusts air parameters to the minimum effective amount needed for separation, reducing energy consumption while maintaining reliable sheet separation for each specific sheet type.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the principle of avoiding excessive action by adjusting air flow to the precise amount needed for separation. The control device prevents over-supply of air by basing adjustments on actual sheet characteristics, thereby reducing unnecessary energy consumption while achieving effective separation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus effectively prevents miss-feeding and double feeding by automatically setting the optimal air amount for different sheet types, reducing manual intervention and minimizing sheet wastage, and ensuring consistent performance across various environmental conditions.
Implementation Method 1
an assist air blower device to blow assist air to the sheet fed from the sheet stacking table
Implementation Method 2
a detecting device to detect a behavior of the sheet assisted by the assist air
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet feeding apparatus, having: a sheet stacking table to stack sheets; a sheet feeding device to feed the sheets one by one from an upper most section of the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking table; an assist air blower device to blow an assist air at a lateral side, a front side or a rear side of the sheet fed from the sheet stacking table so as to assist sheet feeding; a detecting device to detect a behavior of the sheet assisted by the assist air; and a control device to set an amount of the assist air used in image forming to be an optimum air amount based on a detected result which is obtained by detecting the behavior of the sheet when the assist air blower device is operated at a predetermined timing while image forming is not carried out.